09 July, 2008

Millions Face Disaster Due to U.S. Ethiopian Occupation of Somalia - Sent Using Google Toolbar

blackagendareport.com - Millions Face Disaster Due to U.S. Ethiopian
Occupation of Somalia


blackagendareport.com

Issue for July 9 - July 15, 2008. Published every Wednesday

Millions Face Disaster Due to U.S. Ethiopian Occupation of Somalia
Africa - US Imperialism in Africa
Wednesday, 09 July 2008

A Black Agenda Radio commentary by Glen Ford

George Bush doesn't feel the need to be consistent on human rights and
international law. He's got the largest arsenal in the history of the
world at his disposal - and no scruples about waging war against
people who cannot fight back. "The Ethiopian invasion of Somalia,
launched in late 2006 with massive air, naval and logistical support
from the Americans, has resulted in the displacement of 3.5 million
people." By the end of this year, an equal number of Somalis will face
death by starvation. The American "modus operandi is to create chaos -
always resulting in mass deaths among the poor - in order to declare
Africans unfit to run their own affairs.

"Obama, the Speaker of the House and the top Democrat in the Senate
are all mum on U.S. crimes against the Somali people."

George Bush, who has violated every international law known to man,
still believes he has the moral authority to "law down the law" to
Robert Mugabe, in Zimbabwe. Bush took his anti-Mugabe hysteria to
Japan, this weekend, for the yearly meeting of the world's eight most
powerful industrial nations, the G-8. Seven African nations were there
as well, constituting the "African Outreach Group." They served notice
on Bush, the Brits and other rich countries that they continue to
oppose sanctions against Zimbabwe.

Meanwhile, the United States is directly complicit in what the United
Nations has called the "worst humanitarian disaster" in Africa. The
Ethiopian invasion of Somalia, launched in late 2006 with massive air,
naval and logistical support from the Americans, has resulted in the
displacement of 3.5 million people, 700,000 from the capital city of
Mogadishu, alone. More than two-and-a-half million Somalis face
starvation – a figure that could rise to three-and-a-half million by
the end of this year. A recent Amnesty International report on human
rights violations in Somalia, said Ethiopian soldiers have begun
"slaughtering Somalis like goats" – meaning, killing them by cutting
their throats. Amnesty International's Deputy Africa Director put it
this way: "'The people of Somalia are being killed, raped, tortured;
looting is widespread and entire neighborhoods are being destroyed."

"Ethiopian soldiers have begun 'slaughtering Somalis like goats' –
meaning, killing them by cutting their throats."

The U.S. has made Ethiopia its hit man in the Horn of Africa, a
decision that is guaranteed to destabilize the entire region. That's
part of the American modus operandi: to create chaos – always
resulting in mass deaths among the poor – in order to declare Africans
unfit to run their own affairs. This is a theme that plays well among
U.S. corporate media, who have dutifully pushed the Bush line on
Zimbabwe, but go months without even mentioning the American-made
crisis in Somalia. Democratic Party leadership is no better, including
presidential nominee-to-be Barack Obama, whose father was born in
Kenya, Somalia's neighbor. Obama, the Speaker of the House and the top
Democrat in the Senate are all mum on U.S. crimes against the Somali
people.

Before the Americans instigated the Ethiopians to invade Somalia,
something resembling peace had settle over the country. Islamist
groups had succeeded in defeating the warlords that were bankrolled by
the United States. Virtually all reports indicated that Somalis had
cause to hope for a better future for the first time since the country
descended into chaos in 1992. But peace was unacceptable to the United
States, which is determined to militarize the entire continent of
Africa, in order to secure its oil resources. Already, the Somali
puppet government installed by the Ethiopians and their American
backers is inviting international energy companies to exploit their
virgin oil reserves. This lust for oil has already cost Somalia its
national sovereignty. It may also cost millions of lives.

No comments: